Take 1,072.5 hours divided by 260 days in the year, and you are cleaning an average time of 4,125 hours.

You should always think in advance about what problems you might have in the building.

I don't think it's proper to charge them extra because you should have known that.

Robert Jess12/10/2010

Like Terry said, when you calculate a bid, always keep winter in mind.

This will save time and the embarrassment of having to go back and complain to a customer about having to charge extra — especially in a poor economy when there are others lined up ready and begging to take over any account they can get.

A lot of our customers don't seem to abuse the salt too much.

Since our winters can get long, it gets a little expensive for them.

For the ones who seem to make it snow one inch of salt, we just sweep most of it away from the building entrance.

It's a little easer to sweep most of the salt away from the building than to clean it up from inside.

Then, we get a couple who consider it cheaper to toss dirt on the entrance ways; God bless them.

The dirt turns into mud and then tracks in, now they need the carpets cleaned for frequently: Cha-ching.

They feel it's cheaper and believe it's better.

Whatever rocks their boat; it's their money and their building.

Doug Berg12/10/2010

The over usage of salt creates a slip-and-fall condition in itself without having snow or ice.

Unfortunately, it will take a lawsuit for them to figure that one out.

People in possession of chemicals who do not follow manufacturers' directions are a danger to everyone.

Randy Monthei12/10/2010

I see this all the time and there are only two solutions: Charge more or teach more.

Show up the next time they have ice before they put it down; show them the proper use of salt.

Maybe take different types and show them the difference.

To remove ice, it is almost always a two-step process.

Apply the ice melter and let it work to degrade the ice and then scoop, scrape or broom it away.

All ice melters only have so many British thermal units (BTUs) then they stop working and the water will refreeze.

Ken Galo12/10/2010

It is common for most people assigned to snow removal from within the company or institution to think that snow removal starts with the salt.

After all, why shovel when you have all this salt just sitting there?

By the middle of the snow season, the over salting comes to an end when they realize the company is not buying any more ice melt and the boss is asking where all the ice melt they already bought went.